Stamp-canceling device.



GEORGE I.. HANCOCK, OF VANOY, GEORGIA.

STAMP-CANCELING DEVICE.

Application led .Tune 23, 1915` To all whom t may Concern.'

Be it known thatI, GEORGE I. HANCOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vanoy, in the county -of Crawford and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Canceling Devices, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in stamp canceling devices, ofk the character employed by post-masters and other postal officials for the purpose of simultaneously canceling the stamp upon a piece of mail matter and indicating thereon the name of the post-ofiice and other desired data or information.

The object of the invention is to provide av simple and effective device of the character andfor the purpose described, wherebythe operation of stamping a quantity of mail matter may be quickly and efficiently performed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stamp canceling and post-marking device which'is adjustable for stamping mail matter of different thicknesses.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had vto the accompanying drawing in which z- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stamp canceling and post-marking device embodying my invention. Fig; 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the stamping and post-marking die. Fig. 4c is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates'a base plate,of rectangular or oblong rectangular form and of proper thickness to support the piece of mail matter and sustain the impact of the stamping device, which plate may be disposed for use upon a bench, table or desk. and secured thereto if desired in anv suitable manner. l

Rising from the lbase plate are walls or flanges 2 and 3 which intersect at one end and form a space 4 upon the plate to receive the letters and other mail matter to be stamped, one of the longitudinal and one of the transverseedges of each letter or other article are designed to be brought to bear against the surfaces 2 and 3 to properly position the stamp at thecorner of the envelop in the corner formed at the point of intersection of said walls, for the cancellation of the stamp and the imprinting uponthe en- Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented pee. ai, rais.

Serial No. 35,965.

velop or piece of mail'matter of the postmark.

Rising from the base plate is a guideway formed by uprights 5, provided on their inner faces with guide grooves 6 to receive guide tongues 7 on a carrier block or bracket 8. rThis carrier block or bracket is provided with an upstanding lug 9 fitting between the arms 10 of the bifurcated end of a carrier plate 11, the said arms 10 being pivotally connected with the lug 9 by a pivot pin or bolt 11.

The free end of the carrier plate 11 is provided with a finger piece or handle 12, and said platecarries a die proper 13 bearing upon its lower surface printing elements 14 for canceling a stamp and a post-marking stamp 15, which may be of a character to admit of date changes or other changes so that the name of the post-office, date of deposit of the mail matter and other appropriate information may be printed.'

It will be understood from the foregoing description that when the device is used the carrier plate, forming a part yof the die or stamping device as a whole, is raised, the mail matter to be stamped inserted thereunder so that the stamp carrying corner will be disposed in the angle between the connecting ends of the flanges 3, and the die or stamping device then brought down with proper force for the stamp canceling and post-markingaction. 1t will of course be understood that the die may be either hand or self-inked, no inking. means being shown, as this forms no part of the present invention. i

Owing to the fact that the die may be quicklyy raised and forced downward, and to the fact that the mail matter may be quickly and accuratelyv inserted in place, it

vwill be apparent that by means of the device a large amount of mail matter may be stamped within a minimum period of time.

For the purpose of' adjusting the carrier block and die to different elevations, to accord with different thicknesses of envelops, packages or other mail matter to be stamped and post-marked, 1 provide the block or bracket 8 with gear teeth 16 meshing with an adjusting gear or pinion 17. This gear or pinion is mounted on afshaft 18 journaled in bearings 19 on the base plate 1 and on which is also mounted a locking pinion 17',

.said shaft being provided at one end with a handle 20 by means of which the gear may l f be turned to adjust. thev carrier block-up or down. The bearings 19 are suitably fas# tened to the base plate, and one of said bearings is mounted upon a frame piecehaving 5 an arm 21 arranged 1n spaced relation toan upright 22 lrisingfrom the base plate, in

l Which arms are slidably mounted adog or paWl 23A-'adapted for engagement lWith the pinion 17` to lock vsaid pinion and the block` -1o 8 inadjusted position, the'dog being maintained normally in locking position by a coiled spring 25 `and being provided With a handle or finger piece 26 whereby it maybe retracted. I f

I claim ,c v l. A device of; the character described comprising a base'plate, guidevvayuponl kthe base plate, a carrier block v.z'idjustably mounted in said guidevvay, a dievupon the carrier block, means adjustably mounting l said carrier block and engaging-said guidei,

Way, adjusting .means for adjustablemount ing, andV means for locking means in different positions.

3. A device of the character described comprising abase plate, a guideway risingf therefrom, aV supporting' block adjustable -in said guideway, `a guide pivotally mountedv said'y adj usting` upon said carrier block, a gear in mesh with 'the' carrier block Whereb'ysaid carrierblock* may be vertically adjusted, a locking device for holding the gearin adjusted ffposition,

and a spring for. holding the locking devicel 1 normally in locking position. j'

In testimony WhereofI-aix my signature lin presence of tWov/itn'esses.

GEORGE- 1. HANCOCK. Witnesses: .c

`lM.l WV. LOWE,

D. W. HANCOCK. Y

Copies ci"v this patentv maylbieobtained forv ve `cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

lWashington,11C. 

